The Road(s) Less Travelled

When you’ve been pretty much under some kind of lockdown, it’s hard to get any reprieve from Groundhog Day Syndrome, but occasionally, to quote from the lyrics of that great 1969 theatrical gem, Sweet Charity, ‘I’m gonna get up, I’m gonna get out, I’m gonna get up, get out and do it!’, some days we just need to be under a different sky. Having the privilege to do so, Dre and I would just spontaneously ‘get out and do it’. On the days I wasn’t working, I’d play that game, ‘Where should we go today?’ like we used to as kids, spinning the globe, and wondering how we would get to Africa. But instead of a globe, it was a google map of Ontario. We ended up in places like Stoney Hollow trail outside of Waterdown, where after 1.5 hours in the car, realized the trail I wanted to take us on was pure ice, and had to abandon the adventure, or in a place we’d never ventured to but still in Toronto, like the beautiful Jack Darling Park and Rattray Marsh. Who knew such places existed? Not me. One day we even ventured down to Niagara Falls, only to realize I’d booked our hotel in Niagara Falls ‘NY’ and found myself at the side of the road at 5pm wondering where I’d find a pet friendly hotel on the Ontario side. That adventure deserves a blog unto its own, but for now, let’s just say the trip was a memorable one! We even ventured to a place that hasn’t officially been open for years, but was a beautiful alternative to the parks and beaches we went to every day – complete with trails; Ontario Place. I think if we hadn’t done any of this, the spiral downwards may have accelerated. Up until recently the weather was pretty sketchy and unpredictable, and the current gov’t and situation with covid, has left us never knowing if we’re going to be free or shut-ins again – for over a year now. I have to thank my dog Dre and the few friends I see outside of these four walls, for keeping me sane, but if you need to spice things up or just plain get under a different sky, no matter how hard it may be, just ‘Get up, get out and do it!’ Whatever ‘it’ is. It’s been a lifesaver for me.

Ontario Place

Ontario Place

Even Nuns need to get out

Snowy day in Toronto – Greenwood Park

My favorite house in Leslieville

A nice aberration – some photo work!

Up and out early, Ashbridges Sunrise

Blue blue, my world is blue

Leslie Spit Trail

Kerncliff Park, Burlington

Rattray Marsh

Rattray Marsh

The Great Falls, Niagara

Rainbow at Niagara Falls

The Damnation of Western Civilization, Clifton Hill

Mini-falls, Niagara

Nighttime in Leslieville Exhibit

‘Elsa’ John, Luminosity Exhibit, the Beach